When I feel aliveI lie awake and imagine a careless lifeA scenic world where the sunsets areBreathtaking"

-"Scenic World," Beirut

Tried to put this in Literature but DA wouldn't let me, so now this is in Mixed media>Emotional

Urghhh twelve pages in eight days... but once I started I didn't want to take a break. Project One is DONE!!! This was all done in my sketchbook, made with acrylic paint, watercolor inks, some gouache, oil pastel, two glue sticks (used ALL the glue in them–you know, after the glue gets flat you can still dig the rest out and spread it on paper like butter) and multiple scraps and cut out pieces from old homework assignments and the stack of holey magazines that I've been using for collage for FOREVER and still I'm not through with them. This is my ultimate scrap-book. I even glued in the paper towels, since they have such lovely texture.

ANYWAY. I've played around with collage mixed media stuff, most of them are rather on large pieces of paper so I haven't posted them, my piece "Come out, Of Things Unsaid" [link] excepting, but after reading the gorgeously made "Carnevale"[link] by and after having been inspired by for so long, I wanted to try doing a semblance of a narrative. Also, the song "Scenic World" by Beirut had been in my head ever since I first listened to it–it's such a short but powerful song, with such a strong sense of longing in the music and the words, and I had a dim image in my head I wanted to draw/paint of it, so this is sort of the result...I wrote my own poem inspired by "Scenic World," although I didn't want to copy it and just let it sort of lead me where it wanted to go, so it naturally differs from the song in many respects. However, the one thing I wanted to keep was just that last word, "Breathtaking," with an image of a butterfly flying off into the sunrise.

Also yes I know my writing is not the most...legible. I had to do some editing on Photoshop as well to make it more so, but in case you REALLY can't read, I'll put the poem down here as well:

This is the time when the windows are openThose stark little frames in the film of the nightThis is the time when some close their curtainsTo disappear, vanish, and turn off their lights

This is the time when the children lie sleeping wakingStill hearing the fading last remnants of dayFor in every window there is someone achingFor someone to keep all the shadows at bay

The streetlights, they flicker, and phones late are ringingA screech and a squeal as a pair of cats fightThere are trains afar and sirens are singingThis is the soundtrack in the film of the night

This is the time when the children lie dreamingFor they feel alive even when thing's aren't rightWhen the hour is late and it is still seemingThat it will be ages until the daylight.

They dream of a place where the night is not fearfulFree of all cares and where all is at easeWhere everything's pretty and no one is tearfulA place where their bad dreams can finally cease

This is the time when the children lie, wakingThey dream of a place that is theirs for the makingA world that is sweet, and ripe for the takingWhere the sunrise is always

EDIT: Now that I've received confirmation, I actually CAN enter this into 's "Black and White vs. Color" contest! I had the contest sort of in mind while doing it, but didn't think I'd be able to submit such a long piece/comic. Concept wise, I think it sort of speaks for itself, but the colorful parts describe hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow (hence I used "sunrise" instead of Beirut's "sunset") in the midst of a black and white world, the blue-haired girl stands out from the dull background. As they "dream of a place that is theirs for the taking" it becomes gradually more and more colorful as you scroll, until it ends with the sunrise, with a new beginning.

OKAYYou have no idea, just absolutely this masterpiece is so pretty I got so many feels everywhere, especially towards the end, you know, the "Always ... Always ... Always" and that last "always" just got me and then I scrolled down and it was just so beautiful :(((( Okay so very good job on the art, the way you put it all together and the layered clippings and doodles and letterings are just wonderfulBut the poem is no less magnificent, actually it's a very, very beautiful poem, amazing and smooth rhyme that actually makes so much beautiful sense :((((Especially the last two stanzas, and nice comparisons with film, too!(Aaaand I'm sorry for being so late)

Awwww thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it! I spent a lot of time on it and it's really special to me, even though it didn't get looked at that much. I've been working on a lot of mixed-media since then, and it's really growing on me! BTW you should check out 's artwork, if you liked this, he's suuuuuper good

wow!!!! just WOW!!! i dont even know how to describe it! the artwork is not only impressive but the build up to the end gives a great sense of finality and a giant ray of hope (which i suppose what the sunrise really is)! but its just so WOW!! gosh im an A'level literature student yet i cant get a single word that would be suitable to describe this...!! i sincerely hope you win! GOOD LUCK!!!

First of all, I am super impressed that you had the patience to do all of this-- especially with so many pages! The fact that each and every page is a collage of sorts with so much media.. It's very impressive You were able to blend everything beautifully. The text especially is done masterfully. The visual imagery that ties in to the text is great as well. I also love how the text itself changes in accordance with the mood and feel of the emotion. Not just that, but as you read through the collage, the writing really evokes the mood of the story. The story especially has a great story-- it's very simple but very meaningful, and very beautifully told <3 I also love the mix of your artwork and the magazine clippings/ additional pictures. The mix is really nice; provides a great variety of means to tell the story. And lastly, the clash of B/W and color really emphasizes the theme of dreams and longing. It was portrayed really nicely, and I love seeing the variety of media you used to add to the concept! This is really beautifully done!